Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène was inaugurated by Helen Turley in 1988 as a winemaker's barrel selection. It is a much smaller cuvée, although there were 500 cases in 2014, but only 345 in 2013. The 2014 Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène is opulent, powerful, and certainly one of their great 2014s. The wine displays notes of crème brûlée, pineapple, mango and orange marmalade in a full-bodied but subtle and distinctive style. There is a leesy-ness in this wine that no doubt is imparted partly by the indigenous yeast fermentation. This powerful, long, rich wine should age beautifully for at least a decade. Range: 96-98 Points
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Wine Spectator
Spicy, smoky, toasty oak gives this a roasted edge that adds dimension to the rich pear, fig and melon flavors, reverberating on the finish where this gains depth and dimension.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.